(2003), Wanono, Nadine & Renaudeau, Michel (1996), Hochstetler, J. Lee, Durieux, J. Although the Dogon recognize the creator god Amma as the Supreme Being and address prayers and sacrifices to him, the core set of beliefs and practices focuses on ancestor worship. The Another example is the custom of elaborate greetings whenever one Dogon meets another. [33], The Dogon are among several African ethnic groups that practice female genital mutilation, including a type I circumcision, meaning that the clitoris is removed.[34]. The escarpment, because of its geology, provided a natural stronghold for several societies. Archaeological evidence indicates that the Dogon moved into the region of the Bandiagara escarpment in the fifteenth or sixteenth century, probably as a result of the breakup of the Mali Empire at the beginning of the fifteenth century. After Mali's independence from France in 1960, a 40-kilometer road was built from Bandiagara to Sanga, which further disrupted traditional life. The Mali landscape around Dogon (Spooner, J / CC BY 2.0 ). The principal ceremonies center around agriculture and death. Kado), a Fulbe word meaning "stranger" or "pagan.". Nobody should touch the hogon. The term "Punjabi" signifies both an inhabitant of the Punjab and a speaker of the predominant Language, Wolof The development of tourism in the Dogon Country and the Hombori Mountains (Mali) . The Dogon languages show few remnants of a unique noun class system, an example of which is that human nouns take a distinct plural suffix. Due to the expense, the second traditional funeral rituals, or "damas", are becoming very rare. There are also two types of granaries - male granaries with a pointed roof is where seeds are stored, and female granaries (without points) are where the women of this society (who are economically independent from their husbands), store their personal belongings. The Yana Gulay mask's purpose is to impersonate a Fulani woman, and is made from cotton cloth and cowl shells. The problem of "twin births" versus "single births", or androgyny versus single-sexed beings, was said to contribute to a disorder at the beginning of time. Dogon funeral rituals come in two parts. Mudlarker Finds Bronze Age Shoe on a UK Riverbank Dated 2,800 Years Old! Grain is stored in granaries. Starting in the northeastern part of Dogon territory, each village takes turns celebrating and hosting elaborate feasts, ceremonies, and festivities. The Satimbe mask represents the women ancestors, who are said to have discovered the purpose of the masks by guiding the spirits of the deceased into the afterlife (Davis, 74). The heavenly Powers themselves were dual, and in their Earthly manifestations they constantly intervened in pairs[28]. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. When Digitaria is closest to Sirius, that star brightens: when it is farthest from Sirius, it gives off a twinkling effect that suggests to the observer several stars. The household is usually an extended family consisting of both nuclear and polygynous units. The Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi is a monument in Turkestan, a city in southern Kazakhstan. The Dogon language is classified within the Voltaic (or Gur) Subfamily of the Niger-Congo Language Family. Religious Practitioners. [4], The principal Dogon area is bisected by the Bandiagara Escarpment, a sandstone cliff of up to 500 metres (1,600ft) high, stretching about 150km (90 miles). The concept of death and rebirth is also contained within Dogon mythology. This custom is repeated over and over, throughout a Dogon village, all day. Some tenets of Islam have been accepted, others rejected; in many cases, the new elements are blended with those of the traditional religion. Two of the most specialized craftsleather- and ironworkingare restricted exclusively to members of a craft caste. Domestic slavery existed before colonization but is now forbidden by law. Medicine. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Although the Dogon have been more successful in retaining their traditional beliefs and practices than some other African peoples, they have not been immune to change. Davis, Shawn R. Dogon Funerals in African Art; Summer 2002, Vol. Political Organization. He is in effect a priest (hogon ), who exercises ceremonial functions on behalf of the lineage, and, in conjunction with a council of elders, judicial functions as well. Similarly each village may have their own way of performing the dama rituals. The Dogon are best identified for their religious traditions, the mask dances, wooden Dogons originated for the first time from the West bank of Niger around 1490 For the ethnic group of the Kingdom of Dagbon in the north of Ghana, see. After initiation, he wears a red cap, and a pearl bracelet. Corrections? They make music on a special instrument that is made of a rod of wood and calabashes that makes the sound of a rattle. Such jihads caused the Dogon to abandon their original villages and moved up to the cliffs of Bandiagara for better defense and to escape persecutionoften building their dwellings in little nooks and crannies.[15][17]. Morton, Robert (ed.) However I am astonished you can write this article and encourage people to visit with no reference to recent history and the significant insecurity and frequent killings in the area. The fundamental unit of Dogon social organization is the patrilineage, or ginna. Dogon sculptures are not made to be seen publicly, and are commonly hidden from the public eye within the houses of families, sanctuaries, or kept with the Hogon (Laude, 20). Pottery and spinning are the exclusive domain of women, whereas basketry and weaving are male activities. How the Dogon Preserved Their Unique Culture Along The Cliff In referring to relatives, linguistic usage distinguishes between the forms of address and the specific relationship. A unique architecture was adapted to the local environment by using mud bricks (adobe) to build tower-like buildings in the most unlikely places on the Cliff of Bandiagara, including rock shelters. Since the late 20th century, the Dogon have developed peaceful trading relationships with other societies and have thereby increased variety in their diets. Following French rule, this concept was modified to allow individual ownership of property. "[24] Dogon males were primarily associated with the single-sexed male Jackal and the Sigui festival, which was associated with death on the Earth. Encyclopedia of World Cultures. Omissions? The cliff is not far from the city of Bandiagara in western Mali. There are two major events at which the Awa perform: the 'sigi' ritual and 'dama' funeral rituals.[35]. Photographs of masked dancers, first taken in 1907, as well as examples of native art work, soon made their way into Europe and the United States, catching the interest and curiosity of the Western world. Masked dances and masquerades at funerals are a feature of their culture for which they are well known. Paulme, Denise (1940). ." Some of the most beautiful sights to see in China are the classical Suzhou gardens. ); Brooklyn Museum, Sculpture, probably an ancestor figure; 17th18th century; wood; height: 59cm (23 in. Themes found throughout Dogon sculpture consist of figures with raised arms, superimposed bearded figures, horsemen, stools with caryatids, women with children, figures covering their faces, women grinding pearl millet, women bearing vessels on their heads, donkeys bearing cups, musicians, dogs, quadruped-shaped troughs or benches, figures bending from the waist, mirror-images, aproned figures, and standing figures (Laude, 4652). Women may leave their husbands early in their marriage, before the birth of their first child. The Dogon believe the sacred snake Lb comes during the night to clean him and to transfer wisdom. A good knowledge of French would be helpful when visiting the area, but a multi-lingual guide would be able to translate for anyone unable to speak the language. A Blazing Weapon: Unraveling the Mystery of Greek Fire, New Moai Statue Found on Chiles Easter Island Excites Researchers, Curious Mussel Shell Arrowheads in Norways Mountains Confound Archaeologists, 2,000-Year-Old Roman Phallus Could Be Oldest Known Sex Toy, Huge Wari Empire Temple from 800 AD Unearthed in the Highlands of Peru, What is Shambhala? Palau Marti, Montserrat (1957). He gives the name to the lineage, inherits the compound, has control over a certain amount of land, and cares for the lineage altar. In the event of a divorce, the woman takes only the youngest child with her, and the rest remain as a part of the husband's household. Inheritance. [50] An independent assessment is given by Andrew Apter of the University of California. The Dogon are primarily agriculturists, their principal crops being millet, sorghum, rice, onions, beans, tobacco, and sorrel. Marriages are endogamous in that the people are limited to marry only persons within their clan and within their caste.[29]. https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/dogon, Beierle, John "Dogon He has an armband with a sacred pearl that symbolises his function. During the yincomoli ceremony, a gourd is smashed over the deceased's wooden bowl, hoe, and bundukamba (burial blanket). Griaule describes it in this passage: Most of the conversations with Ogotemmli had indeed turned largely on twins and on the need for duality and the doubling of individual lives. Paris: ditions Domat-Montchrestien, F. Loviton. Each district had its own recognized war leaders. "The dual soul is a danger; a man should be male, and a woman female. Striking totem sanctuaries, typically overseen by the Hogon, play an important part in the life of the people in the escarpment, but theyre also much in demand by collectors as the Dogon are famous for their sculptures of stylized representations of human or mythical figures. Circumcision and excision are once again the remedy."[27]. In the political aspect, the Hogon does many things such as being the Chief judge in criminal cases such theft and homicide. According to Griaule, the celebration of twin-births was a cult that extended all over Africa. Dogon village along the Bandiagara escarpment. WebMost Dogon sculptures are carved for personal or family use, to commemorate the founding of a community, or for community worship. [12] See also [ edit] Pangool Mand creation myth Samay (mythology) Zin (water spirits) Traditional African religion portal Mali portal References [ edit] Archaeologists have been able to take a closer look at one of the United Kingdoms most famous shipwrecks. ." The importance of secrecy is due to the symbolic meaning behind the pieces and the process by which they are made. The binou, which is usually in animal form serves as a representation of the ancestor. Prior to the birth of the first child, the wife lives at the home of her parents, while her husband continues to reside in the bachelor quarters where he has lived from the age of 8 to 10. [citation needed] The selection of a wife is carried out by the man's parents. Some of the species represented in the area are the doom palm, the baobab, and various leguminous fruit-bearing plants. The increase in the number of visitors to the area in recent years has done wonders for tourism, but has sadly damaged the environment and this special cultural landscape. Among the Dogon, several oral traditions have been recorded as to their origin. Whether on the high plateau, the cliff-faces, or on the plain, the Dogon have exploited all the elements available to build their villages that reflect their ingenuity and their philosophy of life and death. In certain cultural areas, the Dogon villages comprise numerous granaries, for the most part square with a thatched tapering roof. Dogon lineage is patrilineal, meaning Clusters of from 5 to 6 of these villages center around water holes or wells, and each cluster is referred to as a "canton" or "district." Given the centrality of ancestor worship in Dogon society, practices associated with deathnamely, the initial funerary rites and the dama, or final lifting of mourningachieve great importance in ceremonial life. WebDiscuss why you would or would not like to be selected as the Hogan within the Dogon culture. This practice has been passed down for generations and is always followed, even during winter. After his election, he has to follow a six-month initiation period, during which he is not allowed to shave or wash. Organisation sociale des dogon (Soudan Franais). Craft specialization is determined by gender and caste. Updates? Africa, 38(1), 16-25, Available at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/africa/article/dogon-cultureprofane-and-arcane/47CD44EC412C57D64B141529BD52F19B, Walther, O., Renaud, T., & Kissling, J. The Hogon is the spiritual and political leader of the village. Since the twentieth century, there have been significant changes in the social organisation, material culture and beliefs of the Dogon, in part because Dogon country is one of Mali's major tourist attractions. They were, however, frequently raided by local Muslims who killed the men and enslaved the women and children. In 1912 a school was established for them in Sanga, followed by a Christian mission in the 1930s, and later a medical dispensary. They speak the Dogon languages, which are considered to constitute an independent branch of the The Dogon numbered 500,000 on the eve of Malis independence on ." [6], According to legend, the first hogon, Lebe, was descended from a nommo. They chose to migrate to the area, refusing to convert to Islam, and they still remain fiercely protective of their culture. The largest ginnas are subdivided into several families, or tire togo (sing.). Paris: Presses Universitaires de France. Thought to have originated as a method to unite and keep peace among Dogon villages, the 'sigi' involves all members of the Dogon people. Marriage into the occupational castessuch as that of blacksmithsis strongly prohibited. The village of Songho has a circumcision cave ornamented with red and white rock paintings of animals and plants. Identification. Although some Dogon accepted the new regime, many strongly opposed and resisted it for many years. Encyclopedia of World Cultures. The Dogon people were not the first inhabitants of the cliffs of Bandiagara. It is likely that the Dogon of today are descendants of several groups of diverse origin who migrated to escape Islamization. Following the birth of the child, the couple moves into an unoccupied dwelling in the husband's village and quarter. Formed by a range of sandstone hills, the cliff has a distinctive geology and forms a natural redoubt which is somewhat isolated from the surrounding region as it is bookmarked between two mountains. From 1931 to 1956, Griaule studied the Dogon in field missions ranging from several days to two months in 1931, 1935, 1937 and 1938[39] and then annually from 1946 until 1956. Also regional and dialect group names: Chinbok, Chinbon, Dai, Kuku, Lai (s, Karen The yingim and the danyim rituals each last a few days. In comparison with the neighboring Fulani, animal husbandry is relatively unimportant. Within the village, individual houses are set around a rocky, irregularly shaped open space and separated from neighboring houses by stone walls. ETHNONYMS: Chelofes, Galofes, Guiolof, Gyloffes, Ialofes, Iolof, Jalof, Jolof, Olof, Ouoloff, Valaf, Volof, Wollufs, Yaloffs, Yolof Monogamy is the major form of marriage, although nonsororal polygyny with a limit of two wives is permitted. Hoe, and bundukamba ( burial blanket ) agriculturists, their principal crops being millet,,., frequently raided by local Muslims who killed the men and enslaved women. Of women, whereas basketry and weaving are male activities for several societies Bronze Age on. This practice has been passed down for generations and is always followed, during... Form serves as a representation of the ancestor Shawn R. Dogon Funerals in African Art ; Summer 2002,.. Ritual and 'dama ' funeral rituals. [ 29 ] principal crops being millet, sorghum, rice,,!, Hochstetler, J. Lee, Durieux, J / CC by 2.0 ), J.,. 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